Let Her Go
by Zoe Kissane
Summary: She saw it in the darkness. He saw it in the road. She felt it in her heart. He knew it in his mind.


She saw it in the way the darkness crept in. The sun, sinking below the horizon, the moon hidden behind dark, thick clouds. Her head turned upwards, she stood with a coat wrapped around her torso. Her eyes slowly adjusted as the light burned low, the first flakes of snow spiralling down to the ground.

He saw it in the bitumen laid out, the road never changing, the white lines never breaking. Leaning against the closed door of the car, he stared down the neck of his beer. Lifting the bottle to his lips, he tipped his head back and drained the last of it down. Tossing the empty bottle through the open window and onto the back seat, he opened the car door and got back in, dropping his head against the rest. Days like this, he really hated the road.

Poking her tongue out childishly, she caught a flake on her tongue. A small smile graced her features as she closed her eyes, seeing a vision of him burned behind her lids. The smile faded as she stood, snow and rain cascading around her. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek before she hastily wiped it away with a gloved hand.

Reclining the passenger seat, he stared aimlessly at the roof of the car. His hair was ruffled from the wind creeping in the cracked window, the sounds of traffic tuning out the crackly stereo. Sighing, he rummaged around in the brown paper bag by his feet, pulling out another bottle of beer. Cracking the top, he grimaced as the now warm liquid hit his tastebuds on the first swig. Dropping it back down to nurse the bottle in his lap, he closed his eyes and let memories wash over.

Turning her back to the road, she walked forlornly down the path as the snow continued to fall in the dying light. Lost in memories, she barely noticed the sheer beauty of the park in this weather, far too consumed by her desire to understand where things went wrong. She never knew how good she'd had it until just now, walking alone. Her heart ached with every step, realising the depth of her love too late.

The lights twinkled ahead as the buildings grew bigger, artificial shadows passing across is face as the car cruised through the city. He hadn't realised just how much he missed it until after he'd already left. Finishing the last of his warm beer, he tossed a handful of cash at the taxi driver, not knowing how much he was paying, still unaccustomed to muggle money. The car pulled over next to a well-oiled gate. Drawing his coat around himself, he flipped the hood up to protect his head from the fast falling snow, his battered sneakers leaving distinct footprints in the fresh fall.

Brushing a thin layer of snow off of the seat of a rickety old swing, she wrapped her arm around one chain and sat down. The swing moved and twisted slightly under her, her legs moving along with it, one foot dragging through the grass. Resting her head against the freezing metal of the chain, she put her full weight into the swing and moved slowly with it, allowing the light breeze to push her where it willed.

Pulling his wand out of his pocket, he whispered a soft spell, a light appearing from the tip. Crouching, moved his wand, sweeping it's beam from side to side as he looked for the footprints he was sure would be there. Spotting them after a moment, he straightened back up and veered off the path with a newfound purpose, striding up a small hill towards an old playground. He used his wand, lighting his way through the dark like a small sun, it's beam slowly reaching the young woman swaying on the swing set.

She saw the shadow approaching first, causing her to glance up in confusion. The shadow had to have been caused by light, one that she knew meant someone approaching. Readying an excuse on her tongue to explain away her presence, she gasped as he came fully into her view. Straightening, she opened and closed her mouth a few times, lost for words.

He stopped a few paces away from the swing, swallowing hard as his eyes raked over her form, all of his senses overwhelmed by how beautiful he found her. Her soft chestnut curls, her wide, doe like chocolate eyes, dripping with warmth. Dropping his wand onto the grass without caring for it, he reached out tenderly with one hand. His heart raced in his chest, beating wildly as he hoped beyond hope that he wasn't too late.

They collided together, his fist clenching around the chain just above hers, her fingers gripping onto the back of his coat. Their foreheads touched first, platinum locks mixing with brown curls. Steely grey eyes met deep brown for a moment before lips touched, both tipping inwards for soft kisses, lips finding a familiar home and taste in one another. They broke apart from the kiss after a moment, staying instead in each other's embrace. Their breath came out in foggy gasps, barely visible but mixed together in the faint light from his abandoned wand on the cold, wintery night.

"I love you"

"I miss you"

"Please don't go"

"I never should have let you go"


End file.
